U.S. Braille coin to raise awareness — and money

U.S. Braille coin to raise awareness — and moneyLimited minting will honor creator of alphabet for the visually impaired

ANABELLE GARAY, Associated Press

Published 5:30 am, Sunday, July 6, 2008

Photo: TONY GUTIERREZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS

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National Federation of the Blind President Dr. Marc Maurer, left, and U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy unveil the new Braille coin.

National Federation of the Blind President Dr. Marc Maurer, left, and U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy unveil the new Braille coin.

Photo: TONY GUTIERREZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS

U.S. Braille coin to raise awareness — and money

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Officials unveiled the prototype of the first U.S. coin with readable Braille characters last week — a silver dollar commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille, the creator of the alphabet for the blind.

"This is going to put Braille in front of people in a very dramatic way," said Chris Danielson, a federation spokesman.

U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy, federation president Marc Maurer and U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions revealed the design of the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar in front of about 1,000 people at an outdoor plaza.

The heads side of the silver dollar depicts Louis Braille with the word "Liberty" above it.

On the back of the coin, the Braille code for the word Braille — or "Brl" — is inscribed, above a depiction of a school-age boy reading a Braille book with a cane resting on his arm. Behind him is a bookshelf bearing the word "Independence."

"It really expresses the hopes, the dreams and the independent spirit," federation executive director Mark Riccobono said of the design.

While all coins distributed by the U.S. Mint are distinguishable to the blind by their size and weight, the Braille silver dollar is the first to have Braille characters that can be read, Moy said.